Internal-combustion engine.



G. G. BOWER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.20. I917- Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET G. G. BOWER. INTERNAL comausnom ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 19H

ADR 23 5 sHEHs-SHEEMI G. G. BOWER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FlLED APILZO. I917- Patented Apr. 23,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 41.

W. W Wm M G. G. BOWER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION men APR-20. m1.

Patented A r.'23.191s.

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GEUIEZIGE GOHEUN BUWER, U31? BAlNBEtIl'DtEl-E, GEQRGL'A.

rnrnnn'anoomnnsrron ENGINE.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gannon Gonnon Bownn, a citizen of the United States, residing at llainbridge, in the county of Decatur and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internalfiomhustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had ther in to the accompanying drawin This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion turbines, /one object of the invention being the provision of a mechanism Which combines a turbine adapted to be operated by the impulse from the ex haust of the exploded charge and also the expansion thereof and which in turn operates the compressor mechanism so that the gas charge drawn Within its respective cylinders compressed and exploded to be directed to the active surfaces of the stator and rotor of the turbine.

A. further object of this invention is the provision of means whereby the speed of the compressor may be regulated relative to that of the rotor of the turbine or if preterable the gas may be compressed by the em ploder discharged therefrom through the discharge ports through the conduits to the annular chamber of the turbine and there exploded or burned.

A. still further object of the invention is the provision of manually controlled mechanism :vvhereby the degree of compression Within. the cylinder may be changed at Will.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a mechanism by means of Which each cylinder of the rotor of the exploder is scavenged so that the maximum etliciency may be obtained from the explosion of the compressed charge for delivery to the turbine.

A still further object of this'invention is the provision of a novel method of cooling the rotating parts of the present apparatus so that the apparatus will operate to its maximum efficiency.

A still further object of this invention is its capacity to draw in and compress the gas in its cylinders to discharge the same therefrom through the discharge ports into the conduits to the annular chamber oi? the turloine, and exploding or'burning said compressed gas in said annular chamber, or can Specification'ot' Letters Patent.

for four in all.

application filed April 20, 193 serial No. 163,330.

ploding or burning it in the conduits before reaching said annular chamber.

in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional. View through the exploder and the inlet end of the turbine.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section talteii on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a. section taken on line 4 -4 of 1* lg. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the turbine taken from the compressor end thereof.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the position of the cylinders of the compressor.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the connecting rod.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the stator of the turbine which is of any well known construction, such as Parsons, Curtiss, Rateau or Be Level, or in tact any construction of turbine that will prove efficient with the present combination.

This is connected through means ofthe conduits 11 to the stationary annular member 12 of the compressor 13, while mounted for rotation Within this is the rotor 14% provided with the radial cylinders 15.; this rotor being shown as constructed of two members 16 and i7, and having respectively four cyliders to each member although it is po sible to use two cylinders to eazh member,

Mounted for slight oscillatory movement concentrically of the sleeve 18 of the rotor,

is a crank shaft 19 whose adjustment is lli ill)

tit?

is permitted to rotate about its respective litlti vided with the central circumferential recessed flange member 28 for the reception of the centrally disposed external rib or flange 29 of the rotor, this construction permitting the easy assembly of the rotor within the stator while the rib and its receptacle prevent the leakage of any of the charge from one side of the periphery otihe stator to the other, there being provided eircumferential packings 30 in the stator for engagement with the opposite sides of the rotor.

The stator is further provided with two intake ports 31 which are in communication with the intake manifold 32 which in turn is supplied by the carburetor 33 while the conduits 11 are in communication with the exhaust ports 3st therein. It will be noted that the intake and exhaust ports of one of the members of the rotor are directly alined with the intake and exhaust ports of theother member of the rotor so that a balanced action 18 secured and consequently two substantially constant streams of gas are sucked in and compressed at diametrically opposite points of the exploder simultaneously while two substantially constant streams of haust fluid from diametrically opposite points of the exploder are direct-ed to the turbine, while between the points of intake and exhaust as before stated, the compressions of the gas are taking place simultaneously at diametrically opposite points of the exploder, the three strains or labors of the exploder all being respectively diametrically opposite from the main shaft, preserves a perfect balance of the exploder.

This device is so, constructed that each piston receives a char e during 90 or more of the revolution of the rotor of the compressor exhausting for a similar period so that there is a possibility of action of 150 or more as may be desired.

In order to change the speed of the com pressor relative to the turbine, there is in terposed between the rotor of the turbineand the rotor oi the stator, the transmi sion mechanism 35 being provided with the lever 36, so that the speed between these two members may be changed and the compressor may he retarded or accelerated relative to the rotor of the turbine.

it will be noted that the inner ends of the cylinders of the compressor are open through the cull l8 and that the same are held in place at the inner ends by means of the bolts 37 while the outer cylinder 16 of the rotor receives the threaded end 39 of its cylinder so that the cylinder sits flush therein, each cylinder being .ei'nsertible through the outer cylinder to the inner, as illustrated,

and thus being readily assembled.

In order that the internal mechanism of the compressor may be properly cooled, air

is permitted to enter through the inner open ends of the cylinder due to the motion of the pistons but to assist .in this, the fan 40 is employed.

In starting the present mechanism any form oi hand or electric starter with belt or chain can be employed, and is operably connected to the cull 18 ot the compressor.

Although no sparking system is shown, it is possible to use either the jump spark or a make and break spark the spark plugs of this invention being placed optionally in either the stator of the explodcr or the conduits from the exploder lo the annular chamber of the turbine, or in the annular chamber of the turbine, or placed in all three places to be used respectively, or optionally, as found most cl'licient for varying loads or speeds.

The conduits 11 are elongated in trans verse section so that the explosive fluid is directed to the greatest area possible at the inlet end of the turbine.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,it is evident that the rotor of the compressor will operate about the crank shaft so as to impart the desired reciprocatory movement to the respective pistons and so that the charge of one member will be (1 awn inwardly during the explosion and exhausting of the opposite cylinder while the remaining cylimlers are compressing, so that where two sets of cylinders are employed as here illustrated, a continuous flow is delivered between the stator and rotor of the turbine at four equally distant points so that the explosive charge not only acts impulsively but also expansively.

The stator-of the exploder is water cooled and is provided with a jacket 42 while the rotating part, as herein set forth, is air cooled.

From the foregoing description the operation of the present apparatus is apparent, and briefly stated it is as follows: The rotor of the compressor is started in any desired manner, electrically, pneumatically or manually. During this action each one of the pistons is so operated to cause the cylinders to consecutively receive the charge on the inward movement of its respective piston, the charge being compressed at the point between the extreme end of the intake port and the exhaust port. As the explosion takes place at the point opposite the ex haust port the full impact and expansive force 01"- the charge is directed through the exhaust port into the turbine. The compressing action upon the gas takes place when the outerend of the cylinder is opposite the solid portion of the stator, so that it 1s Completely compressed and exploded just before the cylinder moves adjacent the ex.-

naoat'ao supplying an exploded expansible fluid thereto, including a stator, a rotor,

fluid conducting means between the stator and the space between the rotor and stator of the turbine, means for supplying the charge to 1 the rotor of the supplying mechanism,v said rotor of the exploder includin a member having a plurality of radially disposed cylinders, a piston mounted in each cylinder, a relatively fixed crank shaft connected to the pistons, means for operably connecting the rotor of the supplying mechanism to the rotor of the turbine whereby the rotor of the supplying mechanism is operated by the tur bine, manually controlled means for oscillating the crank shaft to vary the compression of the cylinders, and a variable transmission mechanism between the two rotors whereby the speed of the rotor supplying mechanism is changed relative to that of the turbine.

2. In combination with an expansible fluid turbine having, a stator and a rotor mounted therein providing a circumferential space of means for supplying a compressed fluid to said space and for itself in turn being operated by the rotor of the turbine, in-

eluding an outer casing having a plurality of diametrically disposed intake and enhaust ports, a rotating member mounted therein having a plurality ofradial cylinder's, the outer ends of said cylinders being closed by the casing, a plurality of pistons one mounted in each cyl nder, an adjustable crank shaft operably connected to all of said pistons, manually controlled means for ad usting the crank shaft to re ulate the active positions of the pistons, an variable transmission means between the rotor of the turbine and the revolving member of the supplying mechanism.

3. The combination with an expa'nsible.

fluid turbine having a rotor and a stator, of means for sup lying the expansive flnidto the turbine inc udin a rotor having two oppositely disposed exhaust ports leading from the periphery thereof at diametrically opposite points, one charge intake port being alined withthe diametrically opposite ex haust port, a rotor mounted within said stator and provided with four pairs of open I ended cylinder disposed 90 to each other, the inner periphery of the stator closing the outer" ends of the cylinders, transmission means operably connected between the rotor of the turbine and the rotor of' the supplying means whereby the latter is driven from the former, aplurality oit' pistons one mounted in each cylinder, and an adyiustable crank shaft operably connected to al pistons.

In testimony whereof ll afix my signature.

GEORGE GORDUN BDWER. 

